


New Years Eve Eve, Stark Tower

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Boarding School Buddies [24]
Category: Batgirl - Fandom, Batman - Fandom, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Hawkguy, we don't really need coherent continuity do we?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 10:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce Wayne comes to Stark Tower. This can mean one of two things for Stephanie Brown: She's either getting fired (again), or he's brought her a friend to play with for New Years. Thankfully, it's the latter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Years Eve Eve, Stark Tower

“I can’t believe he’s here.”

“Why not?” Clint asks as he sits back. “He’s your mentor, isn’t he?”

Stephanie Brown frowns as she peers down from one of the lower roofs of Stark Tower. Bruce Wayne’s care has stopped at the entrance and he’s getting out of the driver’s seat.

No Alfred. No Dick or Tim or Cass.

Just Bruce Wayne, looking around and then looking up, spotting her immediately.

“Agh! Dangit!”

“What?” Clint asks.

Birds and Bats. Steph’s not sure what it is about birds and bats but that day she spotted Clint Barton chugging coffee straight from the coffee pot, she knew she’d found an odd kindred spirit.

It helps that he’s got clearance to know a whole lot of things and Stephanie didn’t have to tell him anything she wasn’t supposed to.

“He spotted me!”

“He’s Batman,” Clint points out. “That’s what he does.”

She frowns and sits back next to him. “I mean he’s just here to see Tony, right? They’re old buddies. The big bossman being here has nothing to do with me, right?”

“Dunno,” Clint says. “He could be here to see you.”

“To bring me my Christmas gift?” Steph snorts. “A lump of coal, maybe?”

“Oh, come on,” Clint nudges her. “If anybody deserves a lump of coal for Christmas, we all know it’s me.”

“You know, nine times out of ten when Bruce comes to see me, I get fired.”

“Nobody’s getting fired.”

“A lump of coal and a pink slip,” she goes on.

“Steph.”

“’Here’s a bus ticket back to Gotham. Have fun, and by the way, we’ve got a new Batgirl. She’s Tim’s long-lost second cousin twice removed. Stick thin, raven hair, big blue eyes. She looks just like us!’”

Clint frowns. “Okay, that’s just creepy.”

She nods. “You’re telling me! All four bat boys have black hair and blue eyes just like Bruce.”

“Ugh,” Clint wrinkles his nose. “We’re sure they’re not part of a clone program?”

“We’re not.”

“Faaaantastic.”

“Miss Brown?”

Steph sighs heavily and taps the comm in her ear. “Hi, Jarvis. I’m guessing the Bosses want to see me?”

“Mister Wayne and Mister Stark are in the lab.”

She nods. “Yeah. On my way.”

“Good luck,” Clint tells her. “They ship you back to Gotham at least come say g’bye first.”

“Awww, does that mean you’d miss me?”

“Well, you’re not Kate and Barrel,” Clint smirks. “But you’re not bad.”

Steph flicks his ear, and then hops to her feet.

*****

She peeks into the lab and finds Tony pouring drinks, which is odd, because Stephanie doesn’t remember ever seeing Bruce drink anything that wasn’t water or a protein shake.

“All I’m saying is that I can make you a jetpack,” Tony says.

“I don’t need one,” Bruce tells him. “I have never needed a jetpack. I’ve never even wanted a jetpack.”

“Lies,” Tony snaps, handing him a glass. “You wanted one when we were kids.”

“That was before my parents died,” Bruce reminds him. “I don’t want one anymore.”

“Bat-jetpack,” Tony says, waving his glass. “Got a nice ring.”

“It doesn’t.”

“It does,” Tony argues. “What do you think, Steph? Bat-jetpack?”

Steph takes a deep breath and steps inside. “Bat-pack, maybe?”

“Sounds like what a ten-year-old carries to school,” Tony tells her. “C’mere.”

Steph steps over cautiously and gives Bruce a grin she knows is awkward. “Hey, Bruce. You’re here.”

He nods. “Yes, Stephanie. I am.”

“That…is...awesome. So awesome. Way…totally awesome.”

“Okay, Harry Freakin’ Potter, give it a rest,” Tony teases. “Bruce is here for the New Years charity gala.”

“Oh,” Steph says. “Oh! Hey! Yeah! The…thing. That party! Great! Good!”

“Wow,” Tony says, taking a sip of his drink. “You are weird when your old boss is around.”

“She slapped me.”

Tony snorts, and Steph can almost see whiskey come out his nose.

“I didn’t really mean to,” Steph mutters. “It just kinda happened.”

Tony laughs and gives Bruce a delighted look. “She slapped you? In the face?”

Bruce nods. “She did. I suppose I had it coming.”

“I bet you did,” Tony grins, still looking very happy. He ruffles Steph’s hair a little. “I knew I liked you! So! This party. Since Bruce is here, I’m giving you the night off.”

She frowns. “What?”

“It’s New Years Eve,” Tony says. “You can come to the party if you want, but you’re not gonna be working.”

“Uh…thanks!” she smiles a little. “Wow. A night off. It’s been a while since I had one of those. Maybe I’ll just order a pizza…stay in…”

Tony frowns. “It’s New Years Eve, Steph. Go out! Live life!”

“I live life plenty,” she says, crossing her arms. “Rarely do I get to gobble up pizza, and paint my toes.”

“Girls are weird,” Tony stage-whispers to Bruce, whose lip twitches.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Bruce says. “I brought someone along who wanted to spend some time with you.”

Steph’s eyebrows rise. “You brought Tim?”

“No,” Bruce says. “Though he did ask to come. I told him maybe another time, since the car is a two-seater and he and Cassandra are too old to share it.”

Stephanie lights up instantly. “Cass is here?!”

Bruce nods. “She’s at the hotel. I thought perhaps she could use a break, too.”

An excited squeak tumbles out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop it, and Tony's eyebrows raise in surprise. Bruce never looks surprised. This is no exception.

"I'll get here early tomorrow night so that Cassandra can get settled in," Bruce says slowly. "And I would appreciate it if the two of you stayed out of trouble."

"Trouble? Us?" Steph asks innocently, and then waves her hand. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I can't even joke about the whole innocent thing. You put the two of us in a room together, bad guy faces get bashed in."

"Along with Bruce's," Tony smirks.

"I've mentioned I'm sorry about that, right?" Steph asks nervously.

Bruce glances at her and then heads for the door. "Cassandra and I will see you both tomorrow night."

"Great!" Steph chirps.

"See you then, Pooky!" Tony calls.

Bruce leaves without another work, and Steph frowns at Tony.

"You just called Batman 'Pooky.'"

"I did," Tony nods. "I've also seen him wear a sparkly silver evening gown that really brought out his eyes."

Steph opens her mouth.

"No, there aren't any pictures."

Steph closes her mouth.


End file.
